Father of six identified as one of three killed in West Bank terror attack

One of the three victims of the terror attack Tuesday morning near the West Bank settlement of Ariel was named as 50-year-old Tamir Avihai.

Avihai, a resident of the settlement of Kiryat Netafim and a father of six, was killed when the terrorist rammed his car into him, following a stabbing spree that left two others dead.

There are no immediate details on when his funeral will take place. Avihai is survived by his five daughters and son, aged 12-24.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan described Avihai, whom he knew personally, as “a man of kindness” who was always seeking to help other people.

“Everyone who knew him, loved him,” Dagan said in a statement.

The Kiryat Netafim settlement said in a statement “We are shocked and saddened to announce the passing of our friend, a resident of the settlement, Tamir Avihai. We send a warm hug and lots of strength to his family and children. The Kiryat Netafim community will do everything it can to help the family.”

According to the Israel Defense Forces, a Palestinian terrorist stabbed a security guard near the entrance to the Ariel Industrial Park. The terrorist then stabbed three people at and adjacent to a nearby gas station, before he fled in an apparently stolen vehicle.

Shortly afterward, the terrorist crashed the vehicle into other cars on the Route 5 highway, before getting out and stabbing another person, according to medics. He then stole another vehicle and drove it against traffic, crashing into more cars, before he got out and was shot dead by soldiers and armed civilians.

MDA said the 36-year-old security guard was seriously hurt. Security officials were probing how the terrorist managed to flee after stabbing the guard at the first scene, and why they were not shot by another guard. The second guard only fired into the air.

Two men in their 40s who were stabbed at and near the gas station were killed, and another man in his 40s was seriously hurt. Aside from Avihai, who was killed after being rammed by the terrorist, another 35-year-old was stabbed and seriously hurt on Route 5, according to MDA.

The Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva said it was treating three victims in serious condition, one of whom was unstable. It later said the condition of one of the victims had improved.

The terrorist was named by the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry as 18-year-old Muhammed Souf, from the nearby town of Hares.

Local officials said the terrorist had worked in the industrial zone, and had a valid permit. Souf did not have any prior security offenses, a defense source told The Times of Israel.

Emanuel Fabian contributed to this report.